FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 253 



graphs from one of his earlier papers ; these add several details to the history and 

 habits of .the newly hatched fish : 



" After hatching, the young fish remains inactive for several days, during both day and 

 night, at all events under the living conditions Offered in an aquarium. There is a marked 

 tendency for the larva to attach itself by its sucking disk, but, rather curiously, it does not seem 

 to become attached to the surrounding stems and leaves of the water weeds; it sinks to the 

 bottom, and there, lying on its side, rests attached to whatever may have been touched. In 

 case no solid object comes in contact, the sucking disk functions, nevertheless, and becomes 

 covered with sediment. 



" The larvae of the second, third and fourth day exhibit considerable advances; they depend 

 less upon their sucking disk, and occasionally exhibit a spasmodic activity; when touched, they 

 wiggle about rapidly for a short distance, and then sink motionless, resting on their sides. As in 

 the younger stage, there is a tendency to swim head downward. 



"The larvae of the fifth, sixth and seventh day have become notably active in their 

 movements, are restless, and can with difficulty be kept, even for a few minutes, in a single spot. 

 When not swimming they rest on their yolk-sac, in a normal position ; but even then their large 

 pectoral fins are kept in constant movement, as if serving as balancers. They disliked to be 

 turned on their sides. They breathe with quick movement, the mouth and gill covers opening 

 and shutting widely. 



" The larvae of the second week begin to attain the characteristic movements of the adult 

 fish ; they balance themselves with inconspicuous movements of the fins, pectorals and dorsals. 

 Their firm movements in swimming are now in contrast to the wiggling motions of the younger 

 stages. The caudal fin has become the main organ of propulsion. It is at this period that the 

 young fish have been seen near the surface attended by the male, in dense swarms often of 

 several thousand. As previously noted by the writer, the habits of the young fish under these 

 conditions may be readily observed ; the attendant male may be closely approached, and its 

 movements followed. In a slow and cautious way he circles about, now over and now under 

 his swarming charges, watchful apparently that the stragglers shall be kept up to the rest; and 

 in their turn, the young fish seem to fully realize that it is their duty to keep as close as possible 

 to the guardian It was found by the writer by no means easy to approach the male fish 

 without attracting his notice ; he appears to be constantly watchful, and when alarmed exhibits 

 the greatest solicitude for his charges. Sometimes he backs quietly into some reed-screened 

 pool, hiding below in the shadow of floating weeds, his presence betrayed only by the black 

 mass of larvae about him ; at other times he will skulk cautiously away, drawing the swarm after 

 him as rapidly as possible. His duty is clearly to care for his charges, and in the majority 

 of cases, when he finds it impossible to carry them off with him, he will remain quietly and face 

 the enemy. In one instance he was actually pushed away. There can be no question, the 

 writer believes, that the feeling of alarm of the guardian may be transmitted to the young ; for 

 in case of need the swarm can be moved more rapidly, the young, excited in their movements, 

 appearing to draw more closely together ; under all circumstances they appear to be careful not 

 to disperse. When the male has been driven away, the swarm sometimes becomes so dense 

 that it may be taken almost to a fish by a single dip of the scap-net; if not interfered with, it 

 will gradually move away and take refuge among the floating weeds, often so perfectly that no 

 traces of it can be noticed. Exactly to what period the larval Amia remains in company with 

 the male fish has not been determined. The smallest which in any case the writer observed 

 measured five eighths of an inch, the largest one inch ; and as these notes have been made from 



